Chapter 10.
Slowly Severus opens his eyes. He has been awake for a while, he just doesn't feel like seeing, what he knows he will be seeing, when he opens his eyes: Eos. The proof that yesterday wasn't one big horrible nightmare, lies peacefully sleeping on his chest. Slowly the details of the day before come washing over him. Also the fact that he has to spent time with that irritating redheaded girl, he shudders at the idea.
In an other part of the castle there is much more activity. The common room in the Gryffindor-tower is bustling with activity. Ron, Harry, Ash and Brock are talking about the adventures they had over the years. About Team Rocket and about Voldemort. About Pokemon and about dragons. One story even more exciting as the other.
"Team Rocket are just babies if you compare them to that Voldemort." Comments Ash. Several Gryffindors look at him in shock.
"You better not say that name out loud." Ron says.
"Why not? It is just a name. And Harry says it too." Ash counters.
"Yes, that is true, but still it is better to say: you-know-who." Ron looks at Ash pleadingly.
"Okay," Ash smiles. "If that is what you prefer." He normally doesn't give in that easily, but he does notice that his new friends don't like to hear that name.
"Good morning!" Misty comes down the stairs with a happy smile on her face. Hermoine follows her down the stairs with a big book and some scrolls in her arms.
"Did you all sleep well?" Misty asks. The four boys all give confirming answers. Brock stands and asks Hermoine: "Can I help?" He puts out his hands to get the things she is carrying.
"No… No…" Hermoine says. "I am okay. I want to go on studying this book in a moment anyway."
"But a beautiful woman as you, shouldn't be carrying a heavy load like that! Let me take it."
"She said: No, Brock! Leave her in peace." Misty grabs him by the ear and parks him in his chair again.
"Did you find something, Hermoine?" Harry queries.
Hermoine sighs, "not much." She says. "But their are still more books on Prof. McGonagall's list that I can study. And in this book I found some subjects that could be studied further."
"And all those scrolls of parchment?" Ron points at the scrolls Hermoine is also carrying.
"I made some notes on them. And this one…" she nods at a neatly rolled scroll. "is for Prof. McGonagall. I made a report about all I read and all I found out."
Ron looks surprised, shakes his head and says to nobody in particular: "That's our Hermoine. As if she doesn't get enough homework to do."
Hermoine glares at Ron irritated, but that's all.
An other group in the Hogwardscastle are worrying about other things then books and study. They are just worrying.
"Hurry up in that bathroom, Jesse. I don't want to be late. We will be picked up for breakfast in a moment."
"Don't nag, Meowth." Jesse says while swinging open the bathroom door.
"But Meowth is right," James mentions. "I don't want to break a rule. Suppose they hand us over to that scary wizard." James shudders. "I don't want to see what terrible punishments he can think off."
"Oh, coward." Snaps Jesse.
"And of course you are not afraid of him?" Meowth says in disbelieve.
"No, I am not. It was dark out yesterday, and we were tired. He isn't as scary as we thought." Jesse explains, but she doesn't sound convincing.
Then there is a knock on the door. "Breakfast!!!" Meowth and James exclaim.
Jesse looks down at the two and shakes her head. "Idiots."
When she opens the door the subject of their conversation is standing in front of her. Tall, dark and terrifying.
"Follow me." Snape says icy.
"Yes, sir." Say the three.
Team Rocket has to walk pretty fast to keep up with the professor and his Pikachu. After, what seemed like a few mile hike, the reach the great hall. Tables full with students stare at the Team.
"Sit here." Snape points at three places at a table that is real close to the teachers table. They watch Snape take a seat at the teachers table, on a chair that seems really close to them.
"Why do we have to sit here?" Meowth says while he looks at students taking their seats at the table, but further away from the teachers table. "There is space enough over there."
"Because this way he can keep an eye on us." At the word 'he' James nods at Snape. "Are you still convinced that he was scarier in the dark then he is now?" he asks Jesse.
"Oh, just shut up." She snaps at James.
From his spot at the teachers table Prof. Dumbledore looks amused at the three new guests. Then he looks over at the potionsmaster, who is clearly enjoying the fear he is causing. He nods at Prof. McGonagall. She stands up and taps her glass. Everybody in the great hall is quiet. "Before we can have our breakfast Prof. Dumbledore wants to say a few things."
"I won't keep you from your food long, but I wanted to point out to you that our group of guest had grown. For them the same thing applies that I already said yesterday, so, don't bother them. Have a good meal."
At these last words the tables fill, as usual, with great amounts of delicious food.
Eos has her own little plate and cup now, it is right next to Snape's. She babbles and points at an apple, a role, some pumpkin jus and the porridge. Snape gets a little of all of it for her. He doesn't look around the hall. He can feel that he is watched, from several sides but he decides to ignore it. He tries to keep the feeling of triumph he feels when he sees the fear in the eyes of that Team Rocket.
"Ahhh… look at that." Misty says. "How sweet!!!"
"What's sweet?" Fred, who is sitting next to her, asks.
"The professor and his Pikachu." Misty explains. "He is even cutting up that apple for her."
Fred shakes his head. "You better make sure that he doesn't hear you talk like that."
"Right," George agrees with his twin. "I don't know how, but he will take points for it."
"From Gryffindor." Ron adds. "Because you are an honorary-Weasley."
"Nah..." Misty laughs. "Jokers!!!"
"I didn't joke. Did you, George?" Fred asks.
"Nope!" George denies.
"Honest truth." Ron adds.
Misty glares at them.
"Ohhh… before I forget." Misty changes the subject. "Ash… Brock, could you help me a little later with Prof. Snape and his Pikachu?"
"Do we have too?" The boys sound disappointed, they can think of nicer things to do then hang out with a crabby professor all day.
"Well... then I will do it by my self." Misty's glare makes that the boys don't dare say an other word.
The rest of breakfast there is no more talk about Prof. Snape at the Gryffindortable. Team Rocket is to busy with eating as much food as possible to talk at all. And at the teachers table Prof. Snape's body language give a clear message: he doesn't want any social contacts.
Then the doors to the big hall fly open. A tall man with long blond hair walks in with the air of an aristocrat. "Father." Draco sounds surprised. The man just nods at the boy and then, without a word, he walks over to the teachers table.
"Prof. Dumbledore." He sounds polite.
"Mister Malfoy." Is all the Headmaster says.
"I heard that you are now housing muggles, without the permission of the ministry of Magic."
"This is not something we should talk about here, Lucius." Says the Headmaster. "And our guests are not ordinary muggles."
"That is what I heard… They have some special kind of animals, don't they?" He looks at Snape. "I thought that Hagrid thought about mythical creatures here, Severus. Did you change jobs?"
Lucius walks over to Snape, he stretches out his hand to touch the yellow creature and then something odd happens. Eos growls, not a "Pika", no "Chu" but a growl. Very clearly, very threatening and very Snape-like. "Eos!" Snape says calmly, she looks at him and jumps up on his shoulder, then she looks at the blond man and growls again.
"It has courage." Lucius says with a grin. "It's just that yellow isn't your color, Severus." He laughs.
Another growl sounds, but now nobody wants to say if that was coming from Eos of from Snape.
"Lucius, would you follow me." Albus says. "Than I will explain you everything about our guests. I wrote everybody on the school board with the details, but I guess that yours must be at your home." With these words the old wizard leaves the great hall, followed by the blond man.
"Ash, did you ever hear a Pikachu growl like that?" Misty asks.
"No, it is very strange. It didn't sound like a 'growl' attack." Answers the boy.
"No, it sounded like Prof. Snape." Brock adds.
"But wait," Ash continues. "I'll ask Dex." He points his PokeDex at the little Pikachu at the other side of the hall. Dex starts reciting the facts.
"Level 15" Dex says.
"15??? That is 5 higher then yesterday." Brock sounds surprised. "And she didn't have a fight at all. That is strange."
"You think that it is this world?" Ash points Dex at his own Pikachu, but nothing strange happened to him.
"It must be the professor." Misty says. The boys give her looks of pity.
"Well... he is a wizard!" she defends her theory.
"Yeah, that could be a reason." Brock agrees.
"And most Pokemon grow faster with love." Misty tries.
"Love??? Now you are going to far. Magic, I can believe with HIM" Ash spits out the word 'him'. "But love? No... I don't believe it."
Misty looks around angrily. "Well, you can believe what you want, but I will help the professor with his Pikachu and I will find out why his Pikachu grows so fast." She stands up and without an other word she leaves.
"Misty!!!" Ash and Brock call after her.
Misty goes outside, she walks to the lake and sets her Pokemon free. "Psy-ay-ay-ay-ay." Says Psyduck.
"I know how you feel, boy. I have a terrible headache too." She gets the food, that she brought for her Pokemon, out of her backpack and divides it between them.
"Misty?" Hermoine says. "Can I sit with you?"
"Sure." The girl replies.
"Are you okay?" the young witch asks. Misty nods at Hermoine.
"Yes," she says. "But Ash and Brock never take me seriously."
"But it is very understandably that they can't imagine that Snape can feel love." Hermoine says.
"Why not? And even if it seems that he can't, his Pikachu can feel love." Misty sounds very sure. "Didn't you see how he gave her food?"
"Well," Hermoine starts, but she doesn't know anything else to say. She knows that Prof. Dumbledore also trusts Prof. Snape, but the idea that Snape can feel love for a Pikachu… no… even affection is hard to believe.
At that moment Ash, Brock, Ron and Harry reach the two girls.
"Sorry." Ash mumbles.
"Yeah, we didn't want anger you." Brock adds. "If you want us to help you later…"
"No," Misty declines. "When we need a Pokemon to train with I will ask Meowth… or Wobbuffet. Team Rocket won't dare to say no." She calls her Pokemon back and leaves to find Prof. Snape.
In the teachers lounge Snape is standing in front of the window, he sees the girl return to the castle. "This is going to be a long day." He says to himself. "A very long day."
Slowly Severus opens his eyes. He has been awake for a while, he just doesn't feel like seeing, what he knows he will be seeing, when he opens his eyes: Eos. The proof that yesterday wasn't one big horrible nightmare, lies peacefully sleeping on his chest. Slowly the details of the day before come washing over him. Also the fact that he has to spent time with that irritating redheaded girl, he shudders at the idea.
In an other part of the castle there is much more activity. The common room in the Gryffindor-tower is bustling with activity. Ron, Harry, Ash and Brock are talking about the adventures they had over the years. About Team Rocket and about Voldemort. About Pokemon and about dragons. One story even more exciting as the other.
"Team Rocket are just babies if you compare them to that Voldemort." Comments Ash. Several Gryffindors look at him in shock.
"You better not say that name out loud." Ron says.
"Why not? It is just a name. And Harry says it too." Ash counters.
"Yes, that is true, but still it is better to say: you-know-who." Ron looks at Ash pleadingly.
"Okay," Ash smiles. "If that is what you prefer." He normally doesn't give in that easily, but he does notice that his new friends don't like to hear that name.
"Good morning!" Misty comes down the stairs with a happy smile on her face. Hermoine follows her down the stairs with a big book and some scrolls in her arms.
"Did you all sleep well?" Misty asks. The four boys all give confirming answers. Brock stands and asks Hermoine: "Can I help?" He puts out his hands to get the things she is carrying.
"No… No…" Hermoine says. "I am okay. I want to go on studying this book in a moment anyway."
"But a beautiful woman as you, shouldn't be carrying a heavy load like that! Let me take it."
"She said: No, Brock! Leave her in peace." Misty grabs him by the ear and parks him in his chair again.
"Did you find something, Hermoine?" Harry queries.
Hermoine sighs, "not much." She says. "But their are still more books on Prof. McGonagall's list that I can study. And in this book I found some subjects that could be studied further."
"And all those scrolls of parchment?" Ron points at the scrolls Hermoine is also carrying.
"I made some notes on them. And this one…" she nods at a neatly rolled scroll. "is for Prof. McGonagall. I made a report about all I read and all I found out."
Ron looks surprised, shakes his head and says to nobody in particular: "That's our Hermoine. As if she doesn't get enough homework to do."
Hermoine glares at Ron irritated, but that's all.
An other group in the Hogwardscastle are worrying about other things then books and study. They are just worrying.
"Hurry up in that bathroom, Jesse. I don't want to be late. We will be picked up for breakfast in a moment."
"Don't nag, Meowth." Jesse says while swinging open the bathroom door.
"But Meowth is right," James mentions. "I don't want to break a rule. Suppose they hand us over to that scary wizard." James shudders. "I don't want to see what terrible punishments he can think off."
"Oh, coward." Snaps Jesse.
"And of course you are not afraid of him?" Meowth says in disbelieve.
"No, I am not. It was dark out yesterday, and we were tired. He isn't as scary as we thought." Jesse explains, but she doesn't sound convincing.
Then there is a knock on the door. "Breakfast!!!" Meowth and James exclaim.
Jesse looks down at the two and shakes her head. "Idiots."
When she opens the door the subject of their conversation is standing in front of her. Tall, dark and terrifying.
"Follow me." Snape says icy.
"Yes, sir." Say the three.
Team Rocket has to walk pretty fast to keep up with the professor and his Pikachu. After, what seemed like a few mile hike, the reach the great hall. Tables full with students stare at the Team.
"Sit here." Snape points at three places at a table that is real close to the teachers table. They watch Snape take a seat at the teachers table, on a chair that seems really close to them.
"Why do we have to sit here?" Meowth says while he looks at students taking their seats at the table, but further away from the teachers table. "There is space enough over there."
"Because this way he can keep an eye on us." At the word 'he' James nods at Snape. "Are you still convinced that he was scarier in the dark then he is now?" he asks Jesse.
"Oh, just shut up." She snaps at James.
From his spot at the teachers table Prof. Dumbledore looks amused at the three new guests. Then he looks over at the potionsmaster, who is clearly enjoying the fear he is causing. He nods at Prof. McGonagall. She stands up and taps her glass. Everybody in the great hall is quiet. "Before we can have our breakfast Prof. Dumbledore wants to say a few things."
"I won't keep you from your food long, but I wanted to point out to you that our group of guest had grown. For them the same thing applies that I already said yesterday, so, don't bother them. Have a good meal."
At these last words the tables fill, as usual, with great amounts of delicious food.
Eos has her own little plate and cup now, it is right next to Snape's. She babbles and points at an apple, a role, some pumpkin jus and the porridge. Snape gets a little of all of it for her. He doesn't look around the hall. He can feel that he is watched, from several sides but he decides to ignore it. He tries to keep the feeling of triumph he feels when he sees the fear in the eyes of that Team Rocket.
"Ahhh… look at that." Misty says. "How sweet!!!"
"What's sweet?" Fred, who is sitting next to her, asks.
"The professor and his Pikachu." Misty explains. "He is even cutting up that apple for her."
Fred shakes his head. "You better make sure that he doesn't hear you talk like that."
"Right," George agrees with his twin. "I don't know how, but he will take points for it."
"From Gryffindor." Ron adds. "Because you are an honorary-Weasley."
"Nah..." Misty laughs. "Jokers!!!"
"I didn't joke. Did you, George?" Fred asks.
"Nope!" George denies.
"Honest truth." Ron adds.
Misty glares at them.
"Ohhh… before I forget." Misty changes the subject. "Ash… Brock, could you help me a little later with Prof. Snape and his Pikachu?"
"Do we have too?" The boys sound disappointed, they can think of nicer things to do then hang out with a crabby professor all day.
"Well... then I will do it by my self." Misty's glare makes that the boys don't dare say an other word.
The rest of breakfast there is no more talk about Prof. Snape at the Gryffindortable. Team Rocket is to busy with eating as much food as possible to talk at all. And at the teachers table Prof. Snape's body language give a clear message: he doesn't want any social contacts.
Then the doors to the big hall fly open. A tall man with long blond hair walks in with the air of an aristocrat. "Father." Draco sounds surprised. The man just nods at the boy and then, without a word, he walks over to the teachers table.
"Prof. Dumbledore." He sounds polite.
"Mister Malfoy." Is all the Headmaster says.
"I heard that you are now housing muggles, without the permission of the ministry of Magic."
"This is not something we should talk about here, Lucius." Says the Headmaster. "And our guests are not ordinary muggles."
"That is what I heard… They have some special kind of animals, don't they?" He looks at Snape. "I thought that Hagrid thought about mythical creatures here, Severus. Did you change jobs?"
Lucius walks over to Snape, he stretches out his hand to touch the yellow creature and then something odd happens. Eos growls, not a "Pika", no "Chu" but a growl. Very clearly, very threatening and very Snape-like. "Eos!" Snape says calmly, she looks at him and jumps up on his shoulder, then she looks at the blond man and growls again.
"It has courage." Lucius says with a grin. "It's just that yellow isn't your color, Severus." He laughs.
Another growl sounds, but now nobody wants to say if that was coming from Eos of from Snape.
"Lucius, would you follow me." Albus says. "Than I will explain you everything about our guests. I wrote everybody on the school board with the details, but I guess that yours must be at your home." With these words the old wizard leaves the great hall, followed by the blond man.
"Ash, did you ever hear a Pikachu growl like that?" Misty asks.
"No, it is very strange. It didn't sound like a 'growl' attack." Answers the boy.
"No, it sounded like Prof. Snape." Brock adds.
"But wait," Ash continues. "I'll ask Dex." He points his PokeDex at the little Pikachu at the other side of the hall. Dex starts reciting the facts.
"Level 15" Dex says.
"15??? That is 5 higher then yesterday." Brock sounds surprised. "And she didn't have a fight at all. That is strange."
"You think that it is this world?" Ash points Dex at his own Pikachu, but nothing strange happened to him.
"It must be the professor." Misty says. The boys give her looks of pity.
"Well... he is a wizard!" she defends her theory.
"Yeah, that could be a reason." Brock agrees.
"And most Pokemon grow faster with love." Misty tries.
"Love??? Now you are going to far. Magic, I can believe with HIM" Ash spits out the word 'him'. "But love? No... I don't believe it."
Misty looks around angrily. "Well, you can believe what you want, but I will help the professor with his Pikachu and I will find out why his Pikachu grows so fast." She stands up and without an other word she leaves.
"Misty!!!" Ash and Brock call after her.
Misty goes outside, she walks to the lake and sets her Pokemon free. "Psy-ay-ay-ay-ay." Says Psyduck.
"I know how you feel, boy. I have a terrible headache too." She gets the food, that she brought for her Pokemon, out of her backpack and divides it between them.
"Misty?" Hermoine says. "Can I sit with you?"
"Sure." The girl replies.
"Are you okay?" the young witch asks. Misty nods at Hermoine.
"Yes," she says. "But Ash and Brock never take me seriously."
"But it is very understandably that they can't imagine that Snape can feel love." Hermoine says.
"Why not? And even if it seems that he can't, his Pikachu can feel love." Misty sounds very sure. "Didn't you see how he gave her food?"
"Well," Hermoine starts, but she doesn't know anything else to say. She knows that Prof. Dumbledore also trusts Prof. Snape, but the idea that Snape can feel love for a Pikachu… no… even affection is hard to believe.
At that moment Ash, Brock, Ron and Harry reach the two girls.
"Sorry." Ash mumbles.
"Yeah, we didn't want anger you." Brock adds. "If you want us to help you later…"
"No," Misty declines. "When we need a Pokemon to train with I will ask Meowth… or Wobbuffet. Team Rocket won't dare to say no." She calls her Pokemon back and leaves to find Prof. Snape.
In the teachers lounge Snape is standing in front of the window, he sees the girl return to the castle. "This is going to be a long day." He says to himself. "A very long day."